Domain Stolen Easy- Or closed for wrong Whois

SpankyBear · 05-09-2007, 06:13 PM

Domain registrar GoDaddy recently deleted the domain FamilyAlbum.com simply because the domain registrant, Eric Roach, didn't respond to an email they sent him. While it is not entirely clear whether the email bounced or whether the domain owner chose not to respond, Eric had in fact been using a valid mailing address and phone number in his domain registration details.
However, GoDaddy did not bother to contact him through either of these means before concluding that the whois information was invalid and deciding to delete the domain.
After GoDaddy canceled FamilyAlbum.com, they made it available on their expired domain auction service TDNAM. The domain was snapped up by a new registrant - quite possibly the same person who had instructed GoDaddy to contact the previous owner to confirm his whois information.
Domain Name Wire described this innovative way of effectively "stealing" a domain as follows:
"Person tries e-mailing domain owner with Whois information and e-mail bounces. Person backorders domain and then sends complaint to GoDaddy. GoDaddy tries to contact only via e-mail, which bounces. Domain is cancelled and given to person with backorder."
Important lessons for domainers:

Don't use GoDaddy. They seem to do whatever they want and they have grown too big to care about bad press.
Keep your administrative email address current and respond to your registrar if they send you an email.

More and more savvy drop catchers have stumbled upon a long known, but obscure security flaw of “Whois Data Problem Reports”…
I’ve gone out of my way over the years to publicize the security flaw and push for reform of how such reports are handled … perhaps this latest incident will be the push to get ICANN to address the issue.
Filing a “Whois Data Problem Report” at internic.net (ICANN) can allow one to legally, though unethically, obtain ownership of a domain despite it being locked down tight.
Technically, even having a missing country code in the phone number can potentially be enough for a registrar to take action … though more typically a “Whois Data Problem Report” is filed in regards to the email address…
At this point, some are thinking “My email is up to date, so nothing to worry about.”
WRONG!
Here’s why … when one files a WDPR, the complaint is forwarded by ICANN to the registrar who is then supposed to notify the owner … but if the registrar doesn’t for whatever reason, the domain owner could potentially still their domain despite having a correct email address.
In short, Whois Data Problem Reports is an obscure, but long known security flaw that allows one to potentially “steal” a domain in mere days with little to no notice whatsoever to the true owner … ICANN needs to address this issue to improve security before more domains are “stolen”.

FusionHosting · 05-09-2007, 08:13 PM

I avoided godaddy like the plague back when they were making "moral" decisions on their customers domains, suspending them and blocking transfers. A registrar has no business doing anything but serving up root records and dns.

SpankyBear · 05-09-2007, 08:51 PM

I was shocked when I was reading this I am with these guys for my Domain Name I want to switch in a bad way but I am locked in till 2009!

2GrandArcade · 05-09-2007, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpankyBear

I was shocked when I was reading this I am with these guys for my Domain Name I want to switch in a bad way but I am locked in till 2009!

no your not,you can transfer it to another registar.i've transfered a bunch of domains to my namecheap account.
the domains have to be 60 or 90 days old and you have to pay for an extra year addon at the new registar.

05-09-2007, 06:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
SpankyBear Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 221	Domain Stolen Easy- Or closed for wrong Whois Domain registrar GoDaddy recently deleted the domain FamilyAlbum.com simply because the domain registrant, Eric Roach, didn't respond to an email they sent him. While it is not entirely clear whether the email bounced or whether the domain owner chose not to respond, Eric had in fact been using a valid mailing address and phone number in his domain registration details. However, GoDaddy did not bother to contact him through either of these means before concluding that the whois information was invalid and deciding to delete the domain. After GoDaddy canceled FamilyAlbum.com, they made it available on their expired domain auction service TDNAM. The domain was snapped up by a new registrant - quite possibly the same person who had instructed GoDaddy to contact the previous owner to confirm his whois information. Domain Name Wire described this innovative way of effectively "stealing" a domain as follows: "Person tries e-mailing domain owner with Whois information and e-mail bounces. Person backorders domain and then sends complaint to GoDaddy. GoDaddy tries to contact only via e-mail, which bounces. Domain is cancelled and given to person with backorder." Important lessons for domainers: Don't use GoDaddy. They seem to do whatever they want and they have grown too big to care about bad press. Keep your administrative email address current and respond to your registrar if they send you an email. More and more savvy drop catchers have stumbled upon a long known, but obscure security flaw of “Whois Data Problem Reports”… I’ve gone out of my way over the years to publicize the security flaw and push for reform of how such reports are handled … perhaps this latest incident will be the push to get ICANN to address the issue. Filing a “Whois Data Problem Report” at internic.net (ICANN) can allow one to legally, though unethically, obtain ownership of a domain despite it being locked down tight. Technically, even having a missing country code in the phone number can potentially be enough for a registrar to take action … though more typically a “Whois Data Problem Report” is filed in regards to the email address… At this point, some are thinking “My email is up to date, so nothing to worry about.” WRONG! Here’s why … when one files a WDPR, the complaint is forwarded by ICANN to the registrar who is then supposed to notify the owner … but if the registrar doesn’t for whatever reason, the domain owner could potentially still their domain despite having a correct email address. In short, Whois Data Problem Reports is an obscure, but long known security flaw that allows one to potentially “steal” a domain in mere days with little to no notice whatsoever to the true owner … ICANN needs to address this issue to improve security before more domains are “stolen”. __________________ http://www.oxidearcade.com http://www.ebreaktime.com

05-09-2007, 08:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
SpankyBear Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 221	I was shocked when I was reading this I am with these guys for my Domain Name I want to switch in a bad way but I am locked in till 2009! __________________ http://www.oxidearcade.com http://www.ebreaktime.com

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05-09-2007, 08:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
FusionHosting Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 16	I avoided godaddy like the plague back when they were making "moral" decisions on their customers domains, suspending them and blocking transfers. A registrar has no business doing anything but serving up root records and dns.